[1] The sword's name could either be a reference to the similarity of its shape to the leaves of rice or to local green "dahong palay" snakes, purported to be extremely venomous.

[6] The dahong palay's size is about the same as most Filipino swords such as the kalis, golok, or ginunting, measuring about twenty to thirty inches.

The width of the blade is at its fullest at the hand guard, and from there the sharp edge tapers smoothly, with only the slightest curve or "belly" as it moves towards the tip of the sword.

In addition, the dahong palay's origins as an agricultural tool means that the hilts are often simple and practical, rather than ornate as is often the case in the kalis or kampilan.

As a weapon, the dahong palay was a mainstay during the many conflicts that have plagued the Southern Tagalog region since its first use during the Philippine revolution against the Spanish – used by farmer-warriors whenever they could not acquire firearms.